Reincarnation With a twist
by Ravyn Skye
Summary: Someone's back from the dead... again. A Post canon reincarnation fic with a twist. Chap 9 - Story Telling. Rin recounts part of their past life together and they make plans for their first dinner out together.
1. Chapter 1

I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA – DUH.

So, you guys tell me… this plot puppy came and now I don't know if I should continue it? What do ya think?

*Kono Kowa Michi Ichiro-sama no ojou-san desu = This is the daughter of Mr. Ichiro Michi.

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"You're sure?" he asked skeptically, eying the little girl, bundled up in white, wearing black mary janes and hood over her brown haired head.

"Quite sure, Taisho-sama." The social worker was getting exasperated.

"Who again?" The social worker checked over her paper work with a sigh,

"Michi, Rin. Kono kowa Michi Ichiro-sama no ojou-san desu."

"

"Michi… Michi…" Try as he might, he could not remember meeting anyone named Michi… and certainly no one who would have felt close enough to him to leave him with custody of their _daughter_, in the event they died… but here she was, and here he was, and if he turned her out it would surely make the tabloids and newspapers, branding him even more cold hearted than they already believed him to be. A public relations nightmare… turning out an orphaned eight year old girl, "I'll take her." He finally accepted, speaking of her as if she were a new suit, or a shiny car.

A tiny cherub face with huge brown eyes and long lashes peaked up at him and for a moment he felt a stab of familiarity, a sense of déjà vu, although _why_ he didn't know. When she smiled, it tugged on him, almost grating on his nerves in its instance that he _remember_… _Remember what?_ He didn't know.

When she came in, carrying a tiny suitcase that made her whole body lean awkwardly to the left, he made no move to help her as she struggled, though she did not ask him for help, either. She looked at him silently, with a question in her eyes and he found himself even _more_ annoyed than ever with her presence.

Just what he needed… a brat. All she would do is get in the way of his _lifestyle._

Twenty-three years old, son of the late, great head of Taisho industries, who had board members to run the company for him, while his 51% share of the company insured he collected profits and stock dividends, and he could take over whenever he felt like it.

He was a loner, for the most part. No serious ties to be had, and a few random women to call if he felt the need for _company._ Yes, there was Sara when he wanted some sweet young thing who would blush and play coy and squirm nervously under his gaze, and Kagura when he wanted a rough hard fuck from a wanton woman.

Other than that he had one person with whom he had regular contact, his servant, a short fat older man by the name of Jaken who never failed to do as he wished, and trembled in fear in a most pleasing way.

In his eyes, his life was complete.

Now there was… her. What would he do with her? Well for now she needed some place to put herself that was out of his way.

"Furthest down the hall on the left, it's a guest room, but I guess it's yours now."

The tiny little girl gave a bow and dutifully went to place her bag there. Rin came back then and looked around his apartment. It was large, for Tokyo, but still only 1100 sqft or so. She was done in only a few minutes, and looking up at him expectantly.

"Go to your room." He said irritably. Not wishing to deal with this particular situation, he sent her away. The little girl's face feel a bit, but she went to her room and shut the door.

He was tired. He'd been up all night the night before with Kagura, and he laid back on his western style couch and watched some inane tv show until he fell asleep.

It was 4am when he woke to tiny footsteps padding down the hall. Sleep groggy, he froze for an instant before he jumped up and looked down the hall to confront the 'invader' to his space.

"What the fuck are you doing?" he growled out, ready to face a burglar. Instead wide eyes stared up at him as a tiny eight year old girl's eyes welled up with tears and she promptly scurried away, back to her room, slamming the door in the process.

_Shit._

He'd forgotten. She was trying to sneak to the bathroom.

_Shit._

He made his way down the hall, and opened her door. She was curled in a ball in the corner her chin resting on her knees and her arms around her legs.

He opened the door, and motioned to the bathroom.

"Go." He stated simply, and she went.

He felt like he was forgetting something…

On the way back to her room, as she slunk past him slowly, moving as if she were afraid he would reach out and strike her at any time, he heard her stomach rumble.

_Of course… food._

"You're hungry."

The little girl turned around, smiling at him once again and nodded mutely.

"Go to the kitchen and get something." He wasn't the best of cooks, living on take out, and so if the girl wanted food she'd have to get it herself.

She made her way past him and he went to lay back down on his couch. He was just drifting off again when he heard her creep up to him and smelled re-heated Chinese food. The girl shoved the plate towards him insistently.

"I'm not hungry."

Rin looked at the plate, scowling before offering it yet again.

"I said I don't want it." He retorted.

The girl just left the plate in front of him and went back to the kitchen to eat her meal. When she was done, she went and grabbed the comforter off his bed, draping it over his sleeping form, before she went back to her own room to sleep for the night.

_Sesshomaru-sama…_

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"Oh fuck yes! Don't fucking stop!" Kagura, bent over on all fours as he pounded her roughly from behind was screaming her ecstacy _loudly._ He fucked her on the couch, as usual, he didn't trust her in his bedroom, where his gold watches and expensive platinum chains were, as well as his wallet.

He opened his eyes for a brief moment, and his head turned towards the hallway, found himself eye to eye with an eight year old girl, who looked… well, she had tears in her eyes and stood riveted to the spot. Whether it was shock, disgust, fear or… something else he couldn't quite discern.

"Fuck." He cursed aloud, his rhythm faultering. Kagura, annoyed opened her eyes as well and caught sight of the little girl.

"What are you lookin' at kid?" she snarled.

At that, Rin broke from her daze and ran as fast as she could back to her room, slamming the door and curling up on her bed and crying.

_Sesshomaru-sama… he… forgot. Sesshomaru-sama forgot Rin._

The little girl rubbed the 'birthmark' in the crook of her neck and shoulder.

This was the first time she'd come back to find a _human man._

_He is no longer youkai… he was no longer waiting… and now… he doesn't know who I am!_

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Sengoku Jedi

494 years earlier

"Rin, if I mark you, it is forever, it can not be undone."

"But… Rin is human Sesshomaru-sama… Rin… will die." The silver haired taiyoukai brushed her bangs back reassuringly.

"Your soul will always return to me, Rin. This Sesshomaru will always wait."

"Then… Yes…"

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Hiroshima, Japan

Aug 6th 1945

He could hear the bomb coming but he couldn't get away in time. Even his great power was no match for a nuclear blast. He was finally going to die.

His last coherent thoughts before the world went white were, "Rin, this Sesshomaru comes to meet you. Finally, this cycle is broken, and we will be together in the afterlife."

He didn't know that because was bound to a human, he would re-incarnate as well… he didn't know that he would _become_ that which he had bound himself to _and_ he didn't know that because Rin was the one who was marked… only she would remember.


	2. What now?

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SESSHOMARU, RIN, OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS FROM THE MANGA INUYASHA.

A/N: Here's chapter 2… sorry for the long wait. You can thank Hattaru for inspiring me to work on this story. I'm trying to think of what it would REALLY BE LIKE if someone were to re-incarnate and have a lover they were 'tied to'. What kind of issues would that cause? (BTW – Rin always gets her memories back when she's 8 years old, on the anniversary of when Tenseiga revived her, as will be explained in the story later.)

THIS IS UN-BETA'D so do me a fav and if you see anything GLARINGLY OBVIOUS, let me know and I'll fix it. If it's a SMALL THING, I probably won't, but if it's like… bad… I will.

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One week later:

The atmosphere in the house was decidedly awkward and he _hated_ that a child could make him feel so uncomfortable in his own home.

He hadn't done anything _wrong_, he wasn't _married_ and none of the women in his life expected a _commitment_ from him… he was always honest about his expectations and kept theirs low.

_So why does she look at me as if I've… betrayed her? More importantly… Why did __**he **__feel as if he had?_

He shook his head to clear the insane thought from his mind, but it would not leave him alone. Glancing to the child who stared at him so silently with such intense emotions burning in her chocolate gaze, he felt himself squirm under her scrutiny as _guilt_ clenched his chest and twisted his intestines in knots.

_I promised…_

The thought echoed in his mind, and he didn't understand it.

He felt like it was beyond his reach, on the tip of his tongue, just beneathe the surface and yet…

Frustation and anger welled up, not-quite replacing his mysterious guilt and the sense of _shame._

_What the hell is my problem?_

Sengoku Jedi, 487 years earlier.

Rin made her way back to camp from the spring she was bathing in. Hopefully by now Sesshomaru-sama would have hunted for a meal, and she could start making her dinner before she and her mate snuggled up together and she could fall asleep.

Not bothering to be quiet, she hummed her way back to the clearing. Before she reached it though, she could hear voices coming from the campsite. She checked the direction of the wind and circled around to keep herself downwind from camp, in case there was a threat present.

Moving with the stealth of a ninja she crept up on the campsite…

What she saw there made her heart stop in her chest and a feeling of nausea wash over her, but she kept any tears for later… even being downwind he'd be sure to smell the salt from her tears if she were to cry.

A beautiful ethereal dog demon she had _expected_ to find… but not _two_ beautiful, ethereal dog demons.

She could just make out the word 'heat' and she looked down at her own slightly swollen abdomen.

Suddenly, with no warning Sesshomaru-sama was behind the female pulling her close to his body with an arm around her waist and using his other hand to sweep her long silver hair to the side. His fangs lightly pressed into the flesh of her neck and a low growl was felt more than heard.

At that moment Rin wanted to be anywhere but where she was. She didn't want to know, didn't want to _see._

Then there came a gasp and a wet plop… and even though she didn't _want_ to see… she _had_ to see…

When she opened her eyes Sesshomaru-sama was standing over the corpse of the female inuyoukai cleaning her blood off of his claws with his tongue. He'd gutted her with the hand he'd wrapped around her waist.

"Foolish bitch…" he muttered while staring disdainfully down at her corpse. "Jaken, dispose of that corpse. Rin will return soon." He gave a pointed look in the direction where she was 'hidden'.

Later that night, when Jaken was asleep he'd asked her, "What did you think I would do, Rin?"

She felt stupid. Stupid for doubting him, stupid for not trusting him.

"I…" Rin looked down, guilt painted across her features… She really should have known better, but…

She was so plain. Black hair, brown eyes… a million other human women looked just like her.

He was…

There weren't even words…

How could someone like him ever be completely satisfied by someone like _her?_

"I… Rin is sorry… but… Rin is… and… Sesshomaru-sama is… and she was… and… Rin is sorry."

His eyes softened as he pulled her to his lap and wrapped mokomoko around her small body, "I have no interest in other females, Rin." He caressed her face with the backs of his claws. Didn't she know how beautiful she was? Didn't she know how every other female, human, demon or kami, paled in comparison to her? Didn't she know… _How much he loved her? _Rin nodded her understanding, and he tipped her face to his, "This Sesshomaru gives his word," he kissed her forehead, her nose, her soft lips before dipping his head to lick his mark on her neck, sending shivers through her frame as he whispered in her ear, "He wants no other, it will always be only _you_."

He proceeded to demonstrate exactly _how much_ he wanted her… that night, and for the rest of her life… all of them.

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Present day:

He couldn't take those accusing brown eyes which at times were burning with anger and seemingly hatred and at others stared at him with tears and soul-deep sadness reflected in their depths. He couldn't stand it anymore. He had to leave, had to get out of there.

"I'm going out."

With no explanation, he put on his trench coat and stomped out the door.

Rin watched him leave with mixed emotions.

_Go. Go fuck more of your whores. _ Half of her wanted to hit him, slap him, scream at him that he should _go_, _go and never come back!_ HOW DARE HE forget her! HOW DARE HE forget **9 lifetimes **of memories! The other half of her wanted to throw herself into his arms and beg him to stay, stay with her and only her forever… like he had promised.

Although she _looked_ like a child, the memories of 9 lifetimes were stored within that child's body, and Rin was like no other little girl on the planet… with the possible exception of Shippou's mate, Shiori. Although Shiori was hanyou, so she had only reincarnated three times, now. Her first incarnation had lasted nearly 350 years.

Rin had spent the last week trapped in self-pity. She was effectively trapped in a now endless cycle of returning to a mate that didn't remember her. What on earth was she going to do? She couldn't just 'live her life'… she was unable to 'couple' with any other man without becoming violently ill…

She'd found that out after a particularly nasty fight in 1842... She'd been 17 again, and her hormones were doing nothing to help the situation. She was 'not a child' and he was 'not her father, her was her mate' and she didn't NEED him to tell her what to do! (He'd insisted that she stop smoking opium, as it was no longer socially acceptable and she'd told him she 'needed to, being bound to such an arrogant, uptight asshole for all eternity'.

Rin grimaced at the memory.

A foreigner, a dutchman that was on the mainland... he was drunk and so was she... but as soon he entered her she felt sick. Each of his strokes felt like it was ripping her insides to shreads and his seed had burned like acid as it spilled into her. The mark on her neck started pouring blood and her world went black...

She'd woken to Sesshomaru cleaning her up... tenderly. No doubt he knew what she'd done, but the look in his eyes was not what she expected. There was no anger... only... sadness.

"I'm sorry."

Nothing more was ever said about the incident.

Rin never smoked opium again.

No, there relationship (relationships?) wasn't (weren't?) always roses and romance novel fodder… but what could you expect after **500 years **of being with the same person? It didn't help that he _always_ 'got her' when she was only eight physical years old, after her memories returned.

It wasn't easy to be trapped in a child's body, yet have the memories of so many lifetimes under your belt. It was very… _awkward_ the first few lifetimes… especially on _his end_.

His instincts told him this was his mate and he should be… _intimate_ with her… She didn't have a _problem_ with that, being that she was mentally an adult… but her _physical appearance_ was not exactly a _turn on_ for him, and the couple that with the fact that she had to call him _father _in public…

Rin chuckled despite herself. Yes, they had 'issues' in their relationship that she was certain were… _unique_.

Despite these _problems, _she _loved_ him. She was bound to him, and her very _soul _cried out that there was no place that she should or could be, but at his side.

After careful consideration she realizedthere was only _one person_ she could think of to help her now… and she only prayed she was still alive, and still youkai.

Her mother-in-law.

_Hahaue_…

Rin knew if she could find her, hahaue would help her. She had always gotten along well with her mother-in-law, and, if her she could find her mother-in-law, she could also find the _other _reasons she had for living, besides Sesshomaru.

Her children.

Taking a deep breath, Rin hoped on the his computer, and began her search for a woman named Tokugawa Tsubaki… Sesshomaru's youkai mother.

Only she had the power to restore the memories to his mind, that his soul obviously did not posses.

_Please, please be alive… and __**please, please, please **__still __have the meidou-seki!_

Just as Rin was about to steal a credit card out of his wallet to pay the fee for an online people search directory, she heard a knock at the door, and when she didn't answer after a few minutes, content to ignore whoever may be visiting, Rin heard the voice of the _last_ person she wanted to, demanding that Sesshomaru 'open up! It's me!'.

_Kagura._


	3. Plans: Rin's interupted Kagura's Forms

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN 'INUYASHA' NOR DO I OWN ANY OF THESE CHARACTERS. I MAKE NADA DINERO FOR WRITING THIS, SO DON'T SUE… IT'S TOTALLY NOT GOING TO BE WORTH YOUR LEGAL FEES.

A/N: In case anyone is wondering… The events are going to closely mirror the events in the manga, if a bit out of order… A certain SOMEONE is going to be at the park!

If you enjoy this chapter, drop me a line. Review, PM, or fave it or something… I base which fics get updated first on reader response (as well as my muse) and so if you LIKE a certain story and want to see more of it – REVIEW or PM to let me KNOW – so it will get moved up the list of priorities.

There is an extened A/N at the bottom of the page – PLEASE READ IT! THANKS!!!

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Rin padded toward the door and for once she truly wished that she had somehow figured out how to get Sesshomaru to kiss her on the forehead. It was what she needed to…

_Sengoku Jedi 499 years earlier:_

_The nightmare had been terrible. Her mother, father and brothers were once again being slaughtered by bandits who breached the doorway late at night and demanded food and…money._

_Rin's family was not poverty stricken… but they were common folk. They used rice and traded fish or her and her father and brothers' hard labor to get the things they could not make, catch, or grow themselves. _

_They had no money, and their hut may have been large but it was built with Rin's father's own two hands slowly over time to accommodate his large family. It was not a sign of 'wealth' as these bandits seemed to believe… it was a sign of a fertile wife and an amorous husband who were both still very much in love with each other after almost fifteen years of marriage. Rin's mother was thirty and her father was forty-two. It had taken him until his late twenties to build up enough of a position in the village and prove his financial security to be able to take a wife. Rin's mother was fifteen when they were married, and her father was twenty-seven… but such age differences made no difference, and were common among village peasants and nobles alike; women married young, and would take an older man with security and position over a younger man if given the choice… and given Rin's mother's exceptional beauty and grace, she had most definitely had her choice of suitors. She chose the man best suited to care for her and with her parents' blessing she married him two years after her mogi, and after a full year of his courting. _

_Now it seemed that Rin's father and mother's love story was going to come to an abrupt and brutal end, because Rin's father's single sword was not enough to defend against the nine being wielded by these dirty and drunken degenerates._

_Her oldest brother was twelve, and he too picked up a weapon, a naginata… and he fought bravely – and __**died **__with honor… They all did._

_All but Rin. Tiny six year old Rin ran from the hut between the wide battle stance of her father's strong long legs and past the shoved past the bandit who's reaction time was a bit slow, due to his intoxication. He'd tried to take her head, but only managed to chop off part of the __**very **__**long**__** ponytail**__ she kept at the side of her head._

_When she looked back, she saw the fall of a blade and her father's head roll across the floor. She stood __**stunned silent **__as she then witnessed her mother's clothing torn from her and one of the men push her to her hands and knees… he took off his pants and… did… something… __**bad**__…to Rin's mother. Her view of her mother's tear stained and pained face was blocked by the pale buttocks of another man stepping in front of her with his hakama down to his knees, (was he going to pee on her mommy? What was going on? What were they doing to her __**kaa-san?**__). Just before the man gripped her mother's head on both sides Rin's mommy slid her eyes to the side and saw her daughter staring transfixed at the scene. _

_Fearing the rape of her own daughter, just before the man was able to force his way into her mouth with a dagger at her throat, Rin's mother screamed, "__**Rin… RUN!!!!!!"**_

_Rin ran towards the heart of the village, but there was smoke and screaming coming from there and the only place that seemed quiet and safe was the forest… There were youkai in the woods, her mother and father had said… But what could a youkai do to her that wouldn't happen if she went to the village being ransacked by humans?_

_Deep into the night she ran… and ran… and ran… _

_She returned two days later to find her parents' and brothers' bodies had been burned and her large hut cleaned and 'taken over' by another family that was large, but had had a small hut._

_She was chased away and the only shelter she could find was a storage shanty near the preserve... _

_There was no one to talk to now, and Rin never said a word again…_

_~*~_

"_Girl, wake up." A smooth warm and comforting command came, and like a good little girl, she obeyed._

_By now Sesshomaru had realized that Rin __**must be able **__to physically speak… because she screamed in the night for her family… But once awakened she sheathed her voice like a sword and did not draw it again. Like a sword tied into the sheath, there was some tie preventing her from drawing words from her lips during her conscious hours._

_Fear._

_Fear kept her voice and therefore her thoughts, locked deeply inside._

_While he did not __**care **__for this girl, he was __**curious **__about her… and he was becoming frustrated that she could not provide him with answers to his queries. '__**How long do you intend to follow?', 'What happened to your face', 'What is your NAME?' **_

_Didn't __**all **__humans have names? I mean… it didn't seem like it should matter as there were so many, and they seemed to live in colonies like ants… and did __**every **__worker ant __**need **__a __**name?**__ – But he seemed to recall that his father has said that even the non-noble humans had names. It wasn't so for youkai, but then, youkai were smarter and better than humans and they realized that the hordes did not need to be recognized. You only needed a name when someone might have a reason to talk about you. To name each and every human seemed like a waste… But this one needed a name… Because she was to be his… __**experiment… **__and because __**He **__was so incredibly important, even his lowliest association was deserving of recognition and a __**name.**_

_Perhaps if he could allay her fears, she would release her voice and sate his curiosity._

"_Child, Come Here."_

_He remembered when he was small, and there was something that would frighten him in the days before he'd learned to perfectly control every aspect of his emotions. The only comfort he'd ever found was curling up near his mother or father while they growled and scared whatever it was that dare to upset their offspring away. His father would lean in and lick his face and nuzzle him with his large muzzle…but what did human's do to comfort each other? Surely he could not and __**would not LICK **__this dirty little human._

_He recalled the single time he's seen his father with his human woman. He'd held her in his lap and pressed his lips to her forehead._

_She had bared her blunt human fangs in return… but her scent was not angry, and since that time Sesshomaru had learned that when a human bared their fangs it was not a gesture meant to intimidate or warn… it was a sign of friendship and good feeling. They called it a 'smile'._

_Jaken seemed unable to tell the difference between a 'smile' (which Sesshomaru did learn to 'smile'… and sometimes he would test this behavior, on occasion… as so many others were doing it, it seemed natural that he should adapt to his surroundings) and when he bared his fangs… No matter, though._

_He mimicked his father's actions and pulled the girl into his lap, and to allay her fears he said in his most authoritative tone, "You are safe in my company. I will allow nothing to harm that which is property of this Sesshomaru, and so long as you stay, you are indeed – __**property**__ - of mine."_

_~*~_

_Rin couldn't believe her ears! Had someone just said they would protect her? From all the bad guys and the monsters?_

_Rin smiled so widely that her eyes closed in a squint. _

_When she felt a clawed hand tangle in the back of her hair and her head being moved forward, she did not resist. This hand didn't seem to be doing anything… __**bad**__… like so many other hands had before._

_~*~_

_Sesshomaru pushed the girl's head closer to him and kissed her forehead, just as his father had done with __**that other human**__._

_He heard then a... sound… come from the girl. It was raspy and choked, rough and grating to his ears, but… for once the __**sound **__was a __**word.**_

_**Ari-gatou.**_

_From the moment he kissed her forehead, Rin's voice seemed to snap open like a painted fan. Beautiful, delicate, and full of richness and color._

_Rin didn't only begin to speak… she sang as well._

_Her heart had a new song to sing, and it was an ode to him… _

_Her Sesshoamru-sama._

_~*~ _

_In each lifetime, Rin was fated to become an orphan, so she could return to her mate in her eighth year, and whenever Rin's parents died, she was always struck mute… But each lifetime Rin and Sesshomaru always knew just how to get her talking again…_

_Each lifetime but this one._

Present Day:

Rin stood mutely, and stared up at the despised woman with all the hatred of a woman scorned, but Kagura seemed to overlook her entirely, until she could not see Sesshomaru anywhere in sight. Then she finally acknowledged the little girl standing in front of her and asked, "Where is Sesshomaru?"

Rin shrugged. She honestly didn't know… And right now she wasn't sure she cared to know, anyways.

"He's not here?" Kagura's disappointment was evident… But a slow smile crept over her face… "I see… You're here… Alone… Then."

Rin did not like the smile on this woman's face. It wasn't kind. It was mocking, condescending and full of sugary false-charm that felt more like smarm.

"You know, I think you and I got off on the wrong foot. Would you like to come to the park with me?"

Rin did not want to go, but it was clear from the way Kagura gripped her hand around Rin's smaller one like a vice, she didn't have a choice. She barely got to get her shoes from the genkan before Kagura was dragging her down the street to the nearest subway station.

This was not going to end well.

Kagura had never been here before.

It wasn't until Sesshomaru re-incarnated as a human that Kagura's fate crossed with his again… And now she was taking Rin from him once more.

What if…

What if this time…

What if this time, he didn't come for her?

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EXTENDED A/N:

I'd like to take this opportunity to let all my readers know about TWO really great Sess/Rin fics that I've found here on FanFiction dot net

The first is 'Strength' and is written by 'Serani'… This fic is post canon and Rin goes back to Sesshomaru's Shiro with him. The story telling is wonderful and slightly funny/comedic at times and I'm just SO in love with this fic right now!

http(colon)(slash)(slash)www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/s/5107529/1/Strength

The second is 'How to Fall in Love in Three Chapters' by Jay-ello. She's a talented aspiring writer and somewhat new to fanfiction, so I think we should all give her our support!

Her story is an AU fic, and shows remarkable promise and great creativity for the plot!!! It's not the typical Student/Teacher and RIN is a business owner!

It's a really entertaining and light-hearted fic, and I think with all the ANGST we see in Sess/Rin, it's a great change of pace!

http(colon)(slash)(slash)www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/s/5072179/1/How_to_Fall_in_Love_in_Three_Chapters

**SO PLEASE – If you like Sess/Rin, give these fics a try.**

Also: _**If – *YOU* - have a Sess/Rin fic that you've written, or just one that you love that you'd like me to read – PM ME TO TELL ME!!!**_

I'm all about supporting other authors and their fics, and if it's GREAT and I LOVE IT, then I like to SHARE IT with all of you.

Hope you guys don't mind… (no seriously… you guys don't mind do you? .;; )


	4. Confusion

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Rin, and I don't own Sesshoumaru or Kagura.

A/N: Just another chapter of a fic that hasn't been beta'd. Forgive mistakes, yadda, yadda.

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Sesshoumaru entered his high-rise, removing his shoes in the area designated for such and throwing his coat on the couch, and landing softly beside it with a resolute 'huff'.

Something in his apartment didn't feel quite… _right_… though…

Something was off; the scent? The temperature?

He couldn't put his finger on it, other than the feeling of unease sweeping through him as he set his coffee down gave him goose bumps and made his hair stand on end.

Annoyed with himself, he rose and walked to the bathroom. _'Too much coffee'_ he decided mentally.

Washing his hands, and drying them, he turned to exit before catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror.

_Dammit. _

He noticed a few silvery-gray strands coming in at the sides of his head and he shuddered. He was _far, far _too young to already be going gray. He played with the strands for a few moments, trying to cover them with his collar-length black hair, and failing miserably.

_Oh, well… At least my eyes look awesome today… _He smirked, noticing how his usually dark brown eyes seemed to nearly _glow _with health. _Women love a man with 'pretty' eyes._

Exiting the bathroom, he went to the room where that… _child_, was supposed to be staying. Seeing she wasn't there, he was slightly annoyed. There were not many places she could be, other than in _his_ bedroom.

_If that brat is in my room…_

He stormed towards his door, and shoved it open with zeal, expecting to catch the little intruder in the act.

Nothing.

_Where is she?_

A foreign feeling of panic settled in, and the odd feeling from earlier came back, this time stronger than ever.

_Rin._

Why did he care if she'd run off? What did it matter to him where she was? It was all that brat's fault he'd been so upset as to leave in the first place! Still… Something wasn't right.

A knock on the door forced him to move his current position of standing stupidly, and staring at his empty - for once well made - bed, beckoning him to the front once more.

He opened the door without bothering to check who it was, and seeing Kagura standing there, he visibly relaxed. "Have you seen Rin?"

_What?_

What the hell was he doing asking his fuck buddy if she'd seen that kid? That was _not _what he'd meant to say.

Kagura brushed the question off, "I don't think you have to worry about her right now. She's off… playing."

Suspicion and dread ran him through like a knife. _Why is this scene so utterly familiar?_ Déjà vu seemed to be a special friend to him lately. "Playing?"

"Um hmm, Now… Aren't you going to invite me in?" She batted her eyes at him, and licked her lips invitingly, but the gestures were lost on him.

Something in him, some _deep_ part of his subconscious was telling him there was something terribly wrong… He had to go. Now.

Without bothering to put his coat on, Sesshoumaru stepped into his boots hurriedly, and bolted down the hall, leaving the door to his apartment wide open and Kagura standing in a huff.

He didn't know how he knew where he was going, he didn't even _think - _he just _ran…_ Ran as fast as he could. He'd never felt swifter, and his breathing was un-labored even as he sought to push himself to the limit. Truthfully, he felt like he was _flying _down the stairs and out to the street in front of his apartment building.

People stared as he rushed by, but Sesshoumaru paid them no mind as he continued to run at top speed, yet easily navigated through the throngs of foot-traffic so typical of Tokyo. His heart was pounding, but not in exertion… In _fear._

_Rin. Rin. Rin. Rin._

Every fiber of his being told him to get to her, to go to her, to _run _to her side.

_Something is wrong, something is wrong, something is wrong… _

He rounded a corner and the scent of cherry blossoms as well as another, undefined scent hit his nose so hard and so overwhelmingly he thought he would be sick. It wasn't even the season for cherry blossoms, and the trees had barely begun to sprout the buds that would become pink and white flowers soon enough – but yet he could _smell _them.

He didn't have time to think, he just changed directions as the tightening in his stomach loosened with each step. He was going to _make it._

He spotted her then, sitting on a bench with a man in his mid-twenties wearing brown corduroy pants, and a brown shirt. His hair was tied up in a pony tail and his face was painted with a wolfish grin.

His hand was on Rin's _thigh_.

"Did you say you were here all _alone_?" He heard the man ask.

_Baka, I never said anything at all… I can't talk._ Rin gave a death glare to the man with the dirty magazines tucked under his arm.

"This _child _is with me." A deep baritone voice broke from seemingly out of nowhere, and in an instant Rin bolted up and ran to hide behind Sesshoumaru's leg.

"Who're you?" The stranger asked, glaring at Sesshoumaru with a cock-sure smile.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes into his best death glare, and watched as the man began to tremble oh-so-pleasingly.

In a huff, the guy turned and stomped away, leaving Sesshoumaru alone with Rin.

Suddenly becoming aware of the small hands clinging to his thigh, he turned his face downward. She was trembling…

"You… Are no longer in danger." Gods, he was bad at things like this. Comforting children wasn't something he was particularly… _good_ at. _Did he even know any other children?_

Two small arms reached up, and it took Sesshoumaru a minute to understand she was asking him to lift her, but finally he got the message after she jumped a few times; insisting he do as she wished.

With a sigh, he lifted her, only to have her forehead smacked _right_ into his face… Well, his mouth, actually. "Are you trying to give me a fat lip, brat?" He complained.

The girl huffed, completely exasperated. She pointed once to his mouth, then to her forehead, and made a kissing motion. "You want me to kiss you? On the forehead?" Sesshoumaru eyed Rin skeptically as she nodded and smiled in quick succession.

"No." He wasn't _about_ to do such a thing. _Never._ He would _never _do something like that.

Rin narrowed her eyes, and for a moment she looked nearly… menacing. She did her pantomime routine one more time, this time with a scowl on her face.

"If I do it, this is a one time thing." he challenged.

_Pffft… You idiot. You've been kissing my forehead for five centuries. _ Rin tried not to roll her eyes at her 'husband', and to instead play the part of a smiling little girl. She gave large sincere eyes, and crossed her heart as though in promise.

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes, and leaned in close, giving her small forehead the barest, quickest peck. "There? Are you satisfied?" He harumphed.

Rin smirked, feeling the tightness of her throat ease as it always did… This was one thing that wasn't based on youkai powers… So his being human should not have affected it. This was a gesture that's power to give her back her voice was rooted solely in… _Love._

He set her down, staring for a moment. He was… _waiting_ for something, but he did not know _what_ he was waiting _for_… After a moment he heard a small voice. "Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama." Rin's voice came out crackled and dry, but it was _there._

He turned to stare at her… The vibrations of her small voice were coming in in stereo, tugging on his memory once again…

_What is going on?_

It was then that he noticed… The unidentified scent in the air he could smell almost a block away? It was coming from… Rin.

To his further astonishment, he glanced up at the street signs… And his mouth hung wide open.

He'd run more than three miles from his apartment building; yet he wasn't even winded.

He checked his watch. No. That _couldn't _be correct… He pulled his PDA from his pocket and double checked the time. It had been only 18 minutes since he'd left his apartment, and not including the encounter with that creepy guy, and picking Rin up and kissing her on the forehead that meant…

He estimated he'd run more than three miles, in about eight minutes.

_This… is… this is impossible!_


	5. Who are you?

Disclaimer: I don't own Sess and Rin.

A/N: Here we go! We're REALLY getting into it now!!!

Japanese: Ore* no "Sesshourun**" namae wa janai da! Ore wa Sesshoumaru-sama desu! (For me, Sesshourun is not the name! I am Sesshoumaru-sama!)

*Please note that there are many ways to say 'I' in Japanese, and they all have different connotations. Most men routinely use 'Boku' for 'I' (It is a gentle/nice way of saying 'I' for a man, and very humble) – but 'Ore' is a rough way of saying 'I'… It kind of implies 'I'm a mean/tough/badass guy'.

**A way to make cute 'nicknames' in Japanese is to add or replace the end of a name with a 'Rin' or a 'Run'. You could say, for instance… 'Inuyarin' for Inuyasha's name, and make it 'cutesy' too.

Rorikon is the Japanese way of saying 'Lolicon' and here it is used to mean: A man with a sexual fetish for young girls under the age of 15. (Don't worry, he's denying he is one XD)

* * *

殺生丸とりん殺生丸とりん殺生丸とりん殺生丸とりん殺生丸とりん殺生丸とりん殺生丸とりん殺生丸とりん

Rin followed silently behind watching as his eyes slid down over his shoulder on occasion, making sure she was still walking a pace behind.

"Maru, you and I have to speak." Rin whispered quietly.

At her calling him as 'Maru', Sesshoumaru felt a jolt of familiarity. A vision of an older Rin poised on top of him, riding him while her fingers were splayed over his chest and his hands gripped and guided her hips while her face was flushed with pleasure floated into his mind. _Maru… Oh gods, Maru… I'm going to… _

He stopped. He turned and his eyes narrowed, "What did you call me?" He demanded.

His sense of confusion was making him irrationally angry. Who _was _this child, to come into his life and disrupt things? How _dare _she! What right did she have to do this to him? What _right _did this insignificant little girl have to make him feel this strange and completely ridiculous feeling of _obligation_? And worse… Make him think sexual thoughts about her? **Unforgivable!**

She was _nothing _to him; no one. She was still a _child _and he was _not _some kind of _rorikon _who spent his time lusting for children and browsing through the _Under Fifteen_ section of media stores. Junior Idols weren't to his liking.

He preferred experienced women, not shy blushing virgins, who would call him a 'pervert' and beg him to 'please stop' every five minutes; making him feel like some kind of… _rapist._

He hated that. He hated that it was considered _cute_ to blush and cry and beg your partner to stop what they were doing during sex.

Sesshoumaru had never cared much for the feelings of others, but he _did _care about the now somewhat _outdated _concept of _honor_, and no honorable man would force himself on a woman… And considering his blind-spot concerning reading the emotions of others, he could never be _sure _when the woman was merely trying to be _cute _in her resistance, or if she truly _meant _she wished him to stop. For that reason, he avoided the situation all together, and chose to be only with women who didn't _say _'stop, no please… this is so perverted!' constantly during sex.

Well, okay… He'd concede to the idea that for some reason there were a few girls around age fourteen that he'd felt the occasional random and _never once_ acted on attraction to. But, come to think of it, all those girls looked almost like an older version of…

He looked at the child crossing her arms in front of herself, huffing and silently brooding. She looked up at him, _Gods is he ever __**hopeless…**__ Five __**centuries **__I'd spent with him, and he'd __**finally **__matured some, and now I have to start over at square __**one**__, with him as a twenty-three year old again. Gods that was an awful age for him… He didn't truly come into his own until he was nearly 940 or so… About 27 in human years._

"Not here, Sesshourun." She replied, picking on him even more. It wasn't _fair _and she _knew it_, but he was acting like a _child – _Being so overly concerened for a _nickname_? Ridiculous! If he was going to be like this, then Rin would tease him for it. Not only that but she was _frustrated_ and there was nothing else she could do. It wasn't fair to blame him for the situation, but there was no other target to take out her frustrations on.

Honestly, Rin was totally surprised he had the same _name_. What on earth would possess human parents to name their child 'Sesshoumaru'? In this day and age? _Killing perfection? Total and complete destruction of life? For someone who owns an international publishing company? That makes __**no sense**_**. **

Sesshoumaru stood over the girl, strongly resisting the urge to strike her. "Ore no "Sesshourun" namae wa janai da! Ore wa Sesshoumaru-sama desu!" He stated quietly but threateningly; growling the words roughly in warning.

Rin fought not to roll her eyes. "Hai, _Seshoumaru-sama."_ She replied, very overly dramatic in her 'respect'. This was quickly growing tiring, and she fought not to refer to him simply as 'teme'.

Rin held her ground against the death glare he was giving her. She'd seen it so often over the centuries that it ceased to affect her. "I'll tell you when we get home. Here is not the place."

Her response startled him. It seemed to indicate that she _was, _indeed, someone to him. There was something to tell, and he was impatient to find out what it was. He simply _hated _the feeling that someone might know something he did not, that was important to him. "Then you are saying you are someone to me?"

"At home, _Sesshoumaru-sama_." Rin replied, stalking off in front of him, knowing he'd not tolerate her walking in front of him for long.

True to form he easily caught up to her, taking his place a pace in front of her, leading the way once more. Rin looked up at him, the familiar features of centuries together wiped nearly clean and replaced with a black haired, unmarked face and soft human hands with no claws. Still… He was undeniably handsome, as he'd always been. She felt her face heat up, and glanced down and to the side.

Even if she told him, and even if he believed her… There was no way he'd act on anything for many more years to come.

Rin glanced down at her child's body, feeling lonely and frustrated all over again. _Stupid Tenseiga! Stupid, stupid, stupid sword!_

No… That wasn't how she really felt. She knew that without that sword she'd have never even had a _single_ lifetime to share with her mate, and even if some things were… _inconvenient_… She was still grateful.

Speaking of gratitude, despite inconveniences… Wasn't it the same with Sesshoumaru? Didn't he just save her from some creepy guy dressed in brown with a long black ponytail and wolfish grin… _again?_

She glanced up at her mate's back, then down to his unfamiliar human hands. These were not the hands that had held her for so long; brought her pleasure on so many nights and kept her safe from enemies who would claim her life prematurely… But they were still _his _and they were all she wanted to feel once more.

Slowly, she reached for his hand, slipping her small fingers into his palm and giving a light squeeze. "Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama." She said softly, "For coming for me..." _Again, _Rin added silently in her mind; for coming for me _again_ and _as usual_.

Sesshoumaru felt the small palm press against his larger hand, and the warmth and comfort and familiar sense of déjà vu pressed against his mind. He did not pull away; did not even consider it… _Did not even __**want**__ to pull away._

He heard her speak and before he could consider his words, he slid his eyes down and to the side to stare at the side pony tail bobbing as she walked quickly, forcing her short legs to keep up with his gait while he walked.

"It was nothing." He responded, though not as coldly as he usually would have… And of its own volition his hand squeezed Rin's small one in return, and his lips tilted up slightly.

_I will always come for you, Rin…_ The silent promise felt both old as time and comforting, but frightening in its newness and the unfamiliar weight of _responsibility_ settled deep in his stomach. The thought felt unfinished, as though the rest of it were on the tip of his tongue and he pressed himself to continue.

_I will always come for you, Rin… and… I… al…ways… ha…ve… _

The young man's heart and head both started to pound, and his stomach felt sick. His sense of smell was overwhelming him again, and suddenly he could hear the quiet and distant chatter of _everyone_ around him; their words loud and clear as never before.

His apartment was only a block away… But before he could make it to the crosswalk, Sesshoumaru fell to his knees, and the sudden brightness of the light forced him to close his eyes and he felt himself slumping forward.

He winced when he heard Rin scream his name, her tone was absolutely _deafening_ to his newly sensitive ears… But even with his eyes closed he could _feel_ something of her, some energy emanating from her, something invisible but real that, the closer he got to her – the more it was pulling on him. Feeding some seed in the pit of his belly he'd never known was there.

He focused on the feeling, willing it to become the _only _sensation he could feel and the chatter around him fell silent as people stopped to form a circle and stare.

Her small arms were wrapping around his neck, her scent was beginning to cover all others the nearer she drew and he wrapped his arms around her in return, pulling her close and burying his nose in her pulse point out of some kind of… _instinct._

"Shhhhhhhhhhh…" She was shushing him, petting his hair, and holding him as best she could… _"Maru…" _He heard her whisper again and this time… _It sounded right to his ears._

He was… Panting, and trying to catch his breath without taking in more of the obnoxious odors swirling around him, but Rin's hair seemed like a perfect filter and he pushed his face even further down. His nose felt two small dips, two tiny marks marring her otherwise perfectly smooth flesh and some insane urge made him want to… bite into them.

Abruptly, he pulled away, staring at her small round face. She had concern in her eyes, and for a moment she no longer looked _at all _like a child to him... There was some warmth there too, that he had never seen in the eyes of any other person. It was the way one looked at a…

"Are you okay?" She whispered softly, breaking off his thought while he fought to answer, in the end only settling for a single nod of his head, while he continued to study her intently.

Remembering the small marks he had felt, Sesshoumaru looked down to her shoulder and brushed her hair away, tugging the collar of her shirt down and to the side – feeling as if he somehow had every right in the world to touch her like this, so much so that the thought he may be invading her space never even entered his mind – and came face to face with two circular marks that looked like some kind of…

"What is this?" He asked, running the pad of his thumb over the mark, and feeling that same warmth and energy he'd felt earlier creep under his skin and tug on something from him in return. Stretching it, making it expand and grow until it would ultimately _consume him_… But it felt somehow… _addictive_; and he only wanted more.

He had to force himself to stop stroking her neck like this… _A grown man touching a little girl like this in public? What will people think? _

Rin smiled softly, watching as the people seemed to begin to move about their business on the city street, now that he no longer seemed in danger of passing out. "That…" Rin reached up her small hand to cup his face, staring at the very light brown eyes with the golden centers, which greeted her and she felt something akin to wonder and a giddy happiness. It was as if she could discover him all over again…

Heedless of anyone else's reactions, Rin couldn't help pressing her forehead to his, and gripping the sides of his face, trying to ensure he couldn't pull away. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and let the comfort of being near this familiar stranger give her the courage to speak the truth, "That is… The most important gift you ever gave me."

* * *

Here it is! So… What do you guys think? Lemme know! I didn't even realize how many of you really liked this story, until I instituted the poll at the top of my profile! (Without reviews, I never know what you guys are reading and enjoying, and what you aren't, but I know not everyone likes to review.)


	6. Help arrives

A/N: Soooo… The next chap for BFT is almost done, but LJ crap held up the final edits. In the mean time, I thought I'd get this next little chapter of RWAT out there. There will be NO LOLICON in this story, however we are going to see Sesshoumaru and Rin act as husband and wife/mates in NON-SEXUAL aspects in the next few chapters… If that will bother you, then please read the next few chapters with caution.

I know it's short, but I'm just getting it out there, and it definitely moves the plot forward, eh? XDDD;;;

With Rin's assistance, Sesshoumaru managed to stumble the last block home and up to the door of his apartment building, and make it to elevator, where he mashed the button to the top floor. He got out there, Rin following behind him and made his way over to his private elevator that would take him to the penthouse, fumbling with the key card to activate it while Rin watched him with concerned eyes.

When he'd finally reached the wide-open door to his apartment, Kagura was gone and standing in her place was the last person he wanted to see at the moment… _his step mother. _

His father's second wife, Tsuki-san.

What on earth was she doing here, and with her other son, no less?

The small smile on her face unnerved him, for she seemed to know something he didn't… Lately, a lot of people in his life seemed to know something he didn't, and he hated the feeling of being left out. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at this obnoxious woman, wanting nothing more than to ignore her and make his way inside.

He wanted to grill Rin for information, and he couldn't very well interrogate a child in the presence of his step-mother; she would undoubtedly find such a thing abhorrent and make her opinion known… Just as she _always _felt the need to make her opinions known where his life was concerned.

"Haha-ue!" The exclamation from the small girl standing beside him jolted Sesshoumaru out of his annoyance, and into full on shock.

"Rin-chan! You have returned… We've all been waiting for you, dear one." Rin's mother-in-law, Sesshoumaru's youkai mother and Rin's youngest son had made certain to watch over this new human Sesshoumaru in Rin's absence, and when Rin's aura reappeared and Sesshoumaru's own youkai became detectable, they'd traveled to his apartment to welcome Rin back, and in a way, Sesshoumaru as well. Surely he remembered now that Rin was back?

Sesshoumaru on the other hand, was disoriented and confused by this interaction between Rin and the woman he believed to be his step-mother and the man he believed to be his step-brother.

_They…know each other?_

Sesshoumaru glanced from one to the other, and back again. He then saw the most confusing thing… _ever._

His step-mother's son dropped to his knees and fell forward, pressing his forehead to the floor in such a deep bow that it reminded Sesshoumaru of those seen only in the movies now-a-days.

"Haha-ue." He was not addressing Sesshoumaru's step-mother, but instead the man was addressing… _Rin._

"Haruka…" Rin came forward and dipped her chin, before leaning down ever so slightly to pat the man's head affectionately, "Rise, little one, and come inside."

The man rose, and smiled wide, following Rin into the apartment with Tsuki and Sesshoumaru bringing up the rear. As soon as their shoes had been removed they all made their way into the living room area. Tsuki sat on the couch, and Sesshoumaru flopped down as well, also on the couch but as far from her as possible.

Haruka on the other had rushed excitedly toward Rin, and scooped the small girl up, giving her a big hug, as his eyes watered and then, much to Tsuki's amusement and Sesshoumaru's shock, Haruka _nuzzled his nose into Rin's neck and licked her beneath the chin_!

Rin laughed affectionately in return, but from Sesshoumaru's perspective such actions for a grown man to make toward a small child were simply…_unacceptable_!

Why was no one saying anything? Why was his step-mother grinning? Why was Rin only giggling and looking on his step-brother with warm, affectionate eyes instead of being horrified that a man would do such a thing to her?

Sesshoumaru watched the scene unfold with his jaw hanging open, and his eyes wide with disbelief. Just as quickly those same eyes narrowed and his mouth set itself in a firm scowl, "What is going on here?" He demanded.

A strange sort of… _jealousy_ and at the same time, open disgust flared in Sesshoumaru's gut. How _dare_ this man touch her like that! This sick _freak_ was _licking _a little girl and not only was his step-mother tolerating such disgusting behavior from her step-son… She was _smiling _about it?

"Put. Her. _Down_." Sesshoumaru's voice had taken on that deadly calm it always did before he threw a punch at the unlucky fool who had angered him.

"Eh?" Haruka looked confused at Sesshoumaru's anger. He'd greeted his honored mother back from the dead (again) in the manner befitting inuyoukai… He'd done nothing wrong, and yet his father was _clearly_ both angry and _disgusted_ at his conduct?

Surely, his great father must remember now that his honored mother had returned? His youki was now clearly detectable in his aura and his scent had changed as well, yet he was not acting as if he knew… _anything_.

The young-by-youkai standards hanyou put his mother down, and turned to his father with lowered eyes, "My Lord father, I do not understand how I have angered you?"

You could knocked Sesshoumaru down with a feather. _"Lord?"… "Father?"_

Sesshoumaru's head started to spin again, and he felt sick to his stomach once more. Something was terribly, terribly wrong and he had no idea what was going on. Again his nose found scents wafting through the air that had not been detectable to him only moments previous.

_Has everyone gone mad? Have _I _gone mad?_

It was Tsuki's turn to look at Rin with disbelief, "You… haven't told him yet? He still recalls nothing of his former life?"

Rin shook her head, "I only recently regained my voice, and he still doesn't know who I am, or who he is... I was hoping you could help me, because I don't know what to do?"

The young girl had lost all the childishness of her tone, and instead spoke with clear determination and not a hint of immaturity. She was speaking as an adult would, and strangely Sesshoumaru found this… _familiar._

"I see." Tsuki nodded sagely, "Then, we shall have our work cut out for us."

The Lady Tsuki rearranged herself on the couch, and Haruka seated himself on the floor in seiza, keeping himself lower than his sire. Rin sat next to Sesshoumaru on the couch, and her small hand reached for his thigh, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Calm down, Maru… It will all make sense soon."

Sesshoumaru looked down at the small hand on his thigh, feeling another jolt of familiarity and an alien comfort from the sight.

That hand belonged there, small though it may be. He could feel waves of soothing energy pouring out from this young girl and in that moment he wanted nothing more than to hold her against him, her heart to his, and he knew without a doubt they would be in perfect synchronized rhythm.

"Who… are you?" His lightened eyes found her deep brown one, reflecting back visions of a past he did not yet remember, but he knew he'd lived it none-the-less with her at his side.

Rin took a deep breathe, steadying herself and glancing to her mother-in-law and son…and she allowed their silent encouragement and the strength of their presence give her the courage to speak the truth; she only hoped Sesshoumaru could accept it.

"Rin is Sesshoumaru-sama's… mate."


	7. Difficulty

Disclaimer: I don't own Sess or Rin though I will own Haruka who will be developed. (As well as other children of theirs.)

A/N: Again it is short, but I'm updating a TON of stuff today… So there is plenty to read.

"Mate?" He stared at the small hand on his thigh, trying to process what the girl had said while his head spun… That _word_, "mate"… Somehow it made sense to him, but at the same time he was rebelling against it.

"Um… Very much like a wife, but… _more_. Youkai do not take wives, they take _mates_."

Youkai? What was this crazy little brat on about? There were no such things as youkai!

One word he _did _recognize though…Wife. Now _that _word he understood _perfectly_.

"Ridiculous!" He jerked out from under Rin's touch and jumped up like she'd lit a fire under his butt; he simply stood over her, glaring down.

This was all some sick joke. He was _not_ married, especially _not_ to a _child_.

"I'm not some kind of pervert… This girl," He refused to even _look_ at Rin, choosing instead to address his step-mother, "is a _child_!"

"Calm _down_, Sesshoumaru." Tsuki smiled and reached for his arm. "I can assure you that the person you see before you is, for all intents and purposes, most certainly _not _a _child_. She is a mother many times over… And centuries old."

"You spout nonsense, you crazy old hag."

"Father… please." Haruka tried to interject, but a single glare from Sesshoumaru and he was silent.

"Take this little girl, and get her _out_ of my home!" Sesshoumaru wanted nothing to do with this insanity. He wanted everything to go back the way it was in his well-ordered life.

"That would be most unwise." His step-mother said calmly, "The two of you are but a single soul, residing in two bodies; should you separate, now that you are _both_ human, it is possible that both of you will die."

"Now that we are 'human' eh? And I suppose you're going to try and tell me I'm some kind of ghost? A phantom? A… youkai?"

"Precisely!" The lady chirped, and Sesshoumaru felt the urge to punch the crazy right out of this old woman's head.

"Get _her_…" Sesshoumaru grabbed Rin roughly by the arm, and dragged her up off the couch and flinging her toward his mother.

"Maru! Stop it! You're hurting me!" Rin cried out, and Sesshoumaru couldn't handle it anymore! The way this _child_ dared to speak to him as though she were his _equal _was _infuriating_!

"Shut-up brat!" He pulled his hand back, ready to slap Rin across the face for her disrespect, when all of a sudden a blur of motion caught the corner of his eye, and he felt a tight grip on his wrist.

Haruka was _in his face _and _growling_… And his eyes… They were _red_!

He was some sort of… ? Sesshoumaru's eyes widened as he stared at his step-brother.

"What are you?" Sesshoumaru whispered in awe; strangely, he was not afraid, merely surprised. Why was he not afraid of this _thing_ standing before him?

"You…" Haruka growled, ignoring Sesshoumaru question entirely, "Will _not_ strike her!"

"Haruka!" Rin ran to his side and pulled on his sleeve, "It's alright." Rin shook her head sadly, "It's obvious now… Sesshoumaru is… no longer youkai, and he was… no longer waiting."

Tears formed in the girl's eyes and something inside Sesshoumaru… _ached_.

His body, so tense before, relaxed and his hand dropped when Haruka released it. All the brightly burning anger from before was simply… _gone_; it was replaced with such a feeling of regret, and… _longing_.

"Rin…" He didn't know what to say?

It was all happening so fast but… The proof was in Haruka's red-glowing eyes.

"Rin will leave now, Sesshoumaru-sama." The girl moved toward the door, and both his step-mother and his step-brother gave him disgusted looks as they went to follow her out.

"How dare you forsake your mate. The dishonor… it is inexcusable!" His step-mother hissed as she went to get her shoes from the genkan.

"I never thought I'd be ashamed to be a son of the Great Lord Sesshoumaru." Haruka just shook his head sadly, trailing after his tiny mother.

Sesshoumaru watched with something akin to wide-eyed panic as the trio made to leave.

_Don't go! Don't go! Don't let her leave!_

Suddenly, as much as he'd wanted her gone before, his stomach felt sick just _thinking_ about her being gone from him. He could not let her walk out that door. Some invisible force was tugging him toward her and told him… Screamed at him… Not to let her leave.

If she left, he would _die_ – he was sure of it now.

"Rin… wait!"

The young girl looked up at him, eyes still wet with tears and face red. "Yes?"

He tried to compose himself as best he could, tried _not_ to let her see the desperation in his face, or hear the shaking of his voice, "Until we get this sorted out… You should stay here."

"Really?" The girl asked skeptically, "And why should I stay?"

Sesshoumaru harrumphed, looking to the side, and trying to appear nonchalant, though he was shaken to his very core, "All your stuff is here anyway."

Rin smirked. Now _this_ was a little more like the Sesshoumaru _she _knew.

"The more you are with her, the faster you will get your memories back." He heard his step-mother call to him but he didn't answer. He just wanted her _gone_.

"We'll be back to check on you in a few days, dear one. If this brute gives you any trouble… here's my card. We'll put him back in his place." The lady handed Rin a business card and the girl accepted it with a bow.

"Careful… When he remembers who he is, Sesshoumaru-sama may hold those words against you." Rin smiled, "And _you_ Haruka… Standing up to your father like that? What do you think he will say when he realizes what you did?"

Haruka glanced over to the brooding Sesshoumaru, "If he has any honor left in him, he'll _thank me_ for saving him from disgracing himself."

"Out!" Sesshoumaru finally ordered and the pair of interlopers left, concern heavy in their eyes.

"Now… _You_ have a lot of explaining to do… _little girl_."

Rin sighed; this… could take awhile. "Well, for starters, I'm not a 'little girl'… and you're not really a 'man' anyway…"


	8. Awkward Moments and New Memories

I don't own Sess and Rin; RT and sunrise and viz do.

A/N: Here's the update! Hope you all like it! Please review if you feel like it. *hearts*

Ps: go read tkplover's fic: Music Lessons II!

Sesshoumaru, still seated on the couch, opened his mouth to speak, but Rin stood before him, leaned down, and pressed a tiny finger to his lips. "Shhhh… Just…"

Suddenly, she wasn't only sad for herself, but for him as well. The mark on her neck had recently begun to convey the vaguest feelings from his end and… He felt so very… _empty_ inside, so hollow and confused; he had always been her rock, but now, she would have to be his instead. He felt empty and lost, but he had no idea how much he really _had_… Children, grandchildren, titles and respect, swords and adventures and through it all he'd had… A timeless love that transcended anything any mere _human_ could have ever hoped for.

"Please…Sit back," she asked, and reluctantly he agreed and allowed her to guide him gently and scooted back onto the couch, looking at her expectantly.

_Come here, little one. _The echo of his voice past sounded in her mind, and suddenly she dearly wished he would say those words, but _this_ Sesshoumaru remained silent; and Rin's heart ached all the more.

Still, she crawled up into his lap and flopped against his chest, wrapping her short arms around his ribs, and… Though he sat stiffly, he allowed it. With a deep sigh, the weary old woman hidden with her child's body snuggled down, and just listened to his heart beat in his chest for a moment, while she fought back silent tears that threatened to streak down her rounded cheeks.

Reluctantly, he adjusted and wrapped an arm loosely around her; he could… _feel… smell…? _Her sadness, and for some reason he knew what she needed, and so, he held her against him, albeit awkwardly and reluctantly.

His reluctance to even _hold her _made Rin feel even more alone, and reminded her all over again of her predicament. Her small eyes finally filled with tears at the hopelessness and sadness of the situation. Her husband, her mate, her _soulmate _and the father of her children… He didn't remember her, or their family. She spoke into his chest, "No matter what I look like, you have to understand… I'm _not_ a _child_. I _am_ an adult, and I _am_ your mate, and, mother to _twenty three_ of _your _children."

His eyes widened, "_Twenty… Three… Children?_"

Rin nodded against his chest and blushed, "We've had _nine_ lifetimes to… work on it… and," Rin poked her head up to look at him, and gave him a sly look, "Of all your considerable talents…" She ran a small finger from the tip of his ear, following the curve around, and then moving to cup his jaw line and brush her thumb over his bottom lip, "You had _one_ area of expertise that stood out above all others."

Gods! How badly she just wanted to crush her mouth to his and lose herself in him like she had done literally _thousands_ of times before. She raised her hand to cup his jaw-line; unconsciously, she licked her lips and moved up, and forward.

.

Sesshoumaru dipped his head and looked away in discomfort at her intimate words, and the physical contact; he grabbed her tiny wrist, gently moving it away from his face, back down to her side. "Stop, Rin. It's…_weird_." He looked away, but something in his gut twisted when he realized he could _smell_ her tears, and… _feel_ her sadness, and he realized he'd been _this close_ to _not_ stopping her from…

He shuddered, and refused to acknowledge that he, some _small_ part had actually _wanted_ to let her _kiss_ him.

_He held her child's form in the dark, snuggling her against his body, and wishing she were not physically a child… He could not even welcome her home properly, and all he wanted to do was make love to her, but… He would hurt her, if he allowed such a thing._

"_Maru, please… I want you…"_

"_Rin…" He turned her to face him, and stroked her cheek, " While I am aware you are not a 'child', and you are mate to This Sesshoumaru, I can not allow sexual relations in your present physical form."_

_The girl cried, and he held her._

"_You… Sesshoumaru-sama is not… You can't… Sesshoumaru-sama does not desire Rin, anymore."_

_He shushed her and lapped at her tears, licked her nose, her chin, her neck, growling in his chest and running his fingers through her hair. _

_It was true. He was not sexually attracted to her, while she looked like an eight year old child, and yet… Their love making was about more than simple lust and physical attraction. It was about love, intimacy, reinforcing their mating bond and keeping their connection strong._

"_Such is not the case, My Rin… Your body…" he winced, "does not stir my passions, but, it is impossible for This Sesshoumaru not to desire his mate. Every instinct I have tells me to touch you, taste you, please you… However, I cannot allow for such contact yet."_

_He kissed her forehead, "Be patient; you will grow. We have eternity together, and a handful of years will soon come to be nothing to you as well."_

"_How long do we have to wait?" His girl whined, and he smirked._

"_For penetration? Until you are large enough to accept me without damage, no longer."_

_Rin blushed and ran her small hand briefly over his intimate area, reassured to find that while _she _may not be ready, it seemed, despite her appearance, _he _most certainly _was _holding himself back; he was hard for her… If not for her body, than for her scent, her presence, her end of their mating bond. "And… What about… Other things?"_

_Sesshoumaru groaned, she was deliberately tempting him but he would not lower himself to be so… base. He reached down, gripped her wrist, and pulled her hand to his face, and sucked her finger into his mouth, watching her eyes roll back in head… but the scent of her… fluids… pooling between her legs reminded him again, she was not yet mature. He pushed her finger out of his mouth with his tongue, kissed the tip, and pressed his forehead to hers, "We'll go along slowly, figuring it out as we go… But for now… This Sesshoumaru sees many cold showers in his immediate future."_

_Rin felt sadness, and loneliness, but she accepted the situation as it was, for now._

Rin flopped back down against him like a rag doll, "I'm sorry… I know my appearance disgusts you, but..." Rin used her palm wipe away the tears of frustration, "Damn this body! Every _single _lifetime, I have the mind of a _woman_ but the body of a _child_ and this isn't easy for me either… I miss you! Your touch, your kiss, the way you growl and pant and nuzzle my neck and kami in the heavens the feel of you _inside _me!"

Rin broke down in sobs, then, her loneliness consuming her and the memory of his fucking Kagura coming up fresh in her mind. "You fuck that… that _whore_… and… You… You're _mine_! You are _mine_ dammit! How… How _dare_ you touch her! And now… You won't even _kiss _me! Me! Your _mate_! Your _marked _mate… Your… Your bitch!"

Rin tried her best to calm down, but it was so, _so_ hard… only her emotional exhaustion allowed her to quiet her righteous anger, finishing meekly, "At least, all those times in the past… Well, no matter how I begged, _you_ insisted on waiting to make love… But, at least you would _kiss_ me!"

Everything within him _ached_ to comfort her, but he could not bring himself to kiss her. He just could _not _do it. He just… "Rin…"

"Fuck you!" Rin suddenly screamed, and darted up, grabbing his face and slamming her mouth to his. She dominated the kiss, shoved passed his lips and she felt him _freeze_ beneath her.

Scenes flashed in his mind. Her broken-toothed smile, her smiling face as she handed him a flower crown, her throwing her arms around him, her tears streaking down her bruised cheek as she told him of how the village young folk had beaten her, her flushed face, mouth wide open in moans of pleasure, her dark head between his thighs, looking up at him in adoration, her red puffy eyes and pained look while she birthed his child, a twirling young woman excited over a new kimono, another face, different but still _her_ serving him tea, her holding a child, her nursing another child, her playing with a group of four children of various ages, who called to him, "Chichi-ue!", her hand in… a pale clawed hand that was most certainly _his_… her laughter, her tears, her smiles, her distress, her comfort and above all… Her eyes filled with _love_, each and every time she looked at him.

Suddenly, he recalled…

"_Well, will Sesshoumaru-sama…" Her eyes watered a bit, "Please then… Just… Just… Please, just kiss me. I _need_ you to _kiss _me."_

_His eyes softened, and after a short consideration, he decided that kissing would be an appropriate place to start, and could cause no harm. It was only her _body_ he needed be concerned for, not her psyche. It was _not_ abusive to kiss her, would not be taking advantage, as she was fully mature _mentally_… _

"_Now that, Rin, This Sesshoumaru can do…" He guided her tiny face to his, tilted her chin, and pressed his lips to her tiny mouth lightly, and placed feathered kisses sweetly on her soft, pouty lips, before she touched her tongue to his and grabbed the back of his head, preventing him from pulling back and shoving him closer to her, and forcing him to allow her to devour him and pretend, if only briefly, that all was the same as before; that all was as it should be and she would not have to wait until her body grew up in order to be one with her mate once more._

She pulled back, panting and he should have punished her, he should have been upset that she'd all but sexually assaulted him… But…

"Rin…" He was in shock. His head was spinning and he was still trying to make sense of the dream-like images that had filled his mind the second her lips touched his.

_The more you are with her, the faster you will get your memories back._

Instead, of being angry, Sesshoumaru moved to take her hand in his own, so incredibly small in comparison, but so incredibly familiar and comforting, now.

Without thinking, and before he realized what he was doing, he slid forward to the edge of his seat and used his grip on her hand to pull the small "girl" toward him; wrapped her up in his arms and buried his head against her chest, pulling in deep gulps of air; his entire body shaking against her frame.

"What did you do to me?" He whispered.

He could feel again _waves_ of… _energy? Emotion? Scent? All of the above?_ Wash over him… As if some invisible aura that radiated from her body was caressing his skin, like static electricity but not as sharp and instead of instinctually pulling away, he only wanted to lose himself in the tidal wave… He wanted to drown in this feeling, but instead of sinking underneath, he felt lighter and lighter.

It felt as if his entire life he hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath… And he was finally able to exhale.

That empty feeling inside, the one he'd felt his entire life and the reason he was so obsessed with attaining perfection in each of his pursuits… The hole he'd tried to fill with women, sake, money, power, popularity, celebrity, success in business matters, martial arts training and the million other distractions he'd filled his life with until he realized that none of those things ever really made any difference… He _knew_, in this moment, that only _she_ could fill that void.

Suddenly, the only thing he wanted was to _remember_. He _knew… He __**knew**_**… **Rin was the only key to unlocking what was hidden just beneath the surface in his mind.

"Tell me more… about before."

Rin chuckled lightly, "_Everything_ could take a very long time, and I really hope you know your lore. Come on, why don't we go and get comfortable. You still don't look well, and it's been a long day."

He nodded his agreement, (he was still fighting a headache, and didn't entirely trust his stomach either), and he didn't resist when Rin backed away from him, stood up and reached down and took his hands in her own, coaxing him up from the couch, "Come with me, Maru… There's something I want to do… Something I've wanted to do since I first saw you again."

He lifted a single brow in question as she led them along to his bedroom, and motioned to the bed, "Lay down."

He stiffened, "Rin… You… I… I have already explained that I can not…"

Rin shook her head, "Nothing like _that_… Just lay down and trust me."

He eyed her skeptically, and she rolled her eyes, "Sess, stop being stupid. Are you seriously afraid that someone who has the body of an eight year old girl could _rape_ you or something?"

Realizing how ridiculous he was being, Sesshoumaru lay down in the middle of the bed, and then Rin climbed up next to him. She urged his shoulders up and slid herself over, until she'd maneuvered so his head was in her lap; then, she proceeded to run her fingers through his bangs, and trace along his forehead and cheeks, following the lines of where his markings should be, then moving to brush her finger tips over and behind his ears, scratching lightly.

Rin was very pleased to see that his eyes had closed, and… his leg was twitching, just like her big puppy. For the first time since she'd returned, Rin _smiled_ that signature smile, and it was just for him.

Rin continued and smiled down at him, noticing how relaxed he was becoming. He always did love when she would 'pet' him.

This… he was rarely one for unnecessary physical contact, but her tiny fingers sent sparks and shivers crawling up and down his spine, and yet… this… was _incredibly_ relaxing. He didn't notice… His leg was twitching.

"Okay," Rin sighed, "Where to begin…? It was 1538, in what is now called Yoyogi Park, that I found the most beautiful creature I'd ever seen, laying wounded beneath a large tree… And I… I fell in love for the first and _last_ time."


	9. Story Telling

A/N: All historical info referenced is real. The forth Tokugawa shogunate WAS called the 'Dog Shogunate' because he loved dogs so much. There IS an Inuyama (Dog Mountain) castle near Kyoto, and there is a statue of a dog named Hachiko at Shibuya Station in Tokyo. He is a beloved icon of loyalty and devotion. School children even pet him for luck on their exams, on their way to school and people leave offerings of dog food, toys, etc., at his statue. Google it.

SessRinSessRinSessRin

Rin continued to recount the entirety of their first lifetime together as he lay there, listening to her bed time story of days long passed. Shinnoumaru, their first son, featured heavily as did their twin daughters, and finally two more sons that had followed.

Rin decided to leave certain… details… for later, when he got more of his natural memories back, because she didn't know how he might react to finding out that he was no 'man' at all, but instead, a giant white beast of an Inugami that towered stories tall and could and would devour anyone who stood in his way, or threatened his family.

"Where are they now?" He asked softly. Part of him was still very much wanting to deny that this was the truth of his existence, and surely, if all these children existed, and they were some kind of youkai, well surely, there must be some kind of proof somewhere of such?

Rin sighed, her eyes wistful. "Hanyou are not immortal as we are; although, Shinnoumaru, the closest to purebred youkai, was still alive as of 1922… I don't know if such is still the case. One of the first things I plan to do is reach out to our children, and call our pack home."

"You speak of castles and courts, and magic… plots against us and war between the four noble clans of the cardinal directions… Why is this not in any of our history books?" He wanted, so desperately, to catch her in a lie… But somehow, he knew, that her words rang true.

"Oh, we've shown up a few times…" Rin giggled, "The fourth Tokugawa era shogunate was called, 'The Dog Youkai' for a reason. Inuyama Castle was built by someone after all… And, you see a statue of your grandchild each time you take the trains downtown."

"Excuse me?" He raised a single brow.

"Hachiko, my dear. Hachiko was no ordinary pet dog. He had the blood of our noble family running through his veins although, ironically, as InuYasha showed… The more human blood flows through their veins the more obvious their Inu traits become. As a purebred Taiyoukai, you could easily take human form, nearly completely… InuYasha, as a half-human, could not do the same. He had, rather cute, I might add, white puppy ears on the top of his head."

Sesshoumaru swallowed. "InuYasha"… Why did that name fill him with a nagging sense of… guilt? Had something happened between him and his brother?

"I see…" There was nothing more he could say at the moment. There was no appropriate response to being told such a fantastic story, in which _he _was the main character.

Glancing quickly at the clock on his nightstand, Sesshoumaru realized it was now almost eight o'clock at night… And his stomach was rumbling.

"Rin… Are you not hungry?" He asked.

Abruptly, Rin realized that she _was _hungry… She'd been so very distracted by recounting her first life with her mate, that she hadn't even realized she'd missed the evening meal.

"I am, actually." And, as if on cue, her stomach rumbled and Rin blushed… "Would you like me to cook you dinner?"

Forcing himself to abandon the comforting warmth of his head resting in her lap and the soothing touch of her fingers raking through his bangs and tracing his face and ears, Sesshoumaru sat up and moved to sit on his bed, considering what to do for dinner.

He did not cook, and had very little food in his house… Although, it seemed very… wrong… to ask her to cook for him. It was too familiar, too intimate, and though he was slowly coming to accept that she was not a child, but instead a woman trapped in a child's body, he still had a hard time bringing himself to ask her to do chores around his home or wait on him.

That was what Jaken was for, after all.

"That's unnecessary, Rin. In fact… I would much prefer to go out to eat."

"Oh…" Rin nodded solemnly and looked at her lap, folding her hands. If he was going out, it was doubtful he'd take her with him… It wasn't as if he was used to bringing a little girl in tow to eat with him. Judging from what she'd seen of Sesshoumaru this last week, he probably would be embarrassed to take her anywhere with him. Surely, those who knew him would not expect him to have a little girl with him, and they may even tease him for it. Young men like him did _not _take small children out to eat in public. "May Rin make _herself_ something to eat, then?"

"You will not join me?" Sesshoumaru was confused as to why Rin didn't seem to understand that he was clearly offering to take her out to a restaurant.

Rin's eyes lit up immediately, "Rin can go with Sesshoumaru-sama?"

He nodded.

Instantly, Rin's eyes took on a sparkle he had never seen in them before, and she jumped up and scurried to her room, "What are you doing, Rin?" He called.

"If Sesshoumaru-sama is requesting Rin's company for the night, I have to get ready!" Rin called, frantically digging through her bags for the outfit she thought would be best to wear out. She was wavering between hiding herself in the persona of an ordinary child to avoid attracting attention, and desperately wanting to dress in something mature and sophisticated, to reinforce for him that she was _not _ a 'little girl'.

Amused, Sesshoumaru called back, "This isn't a _date _you know."

Rin poked her head out of her doorway, half-dressed, "The hell it isn't!"

He smirked. He had a feeling, the more he got to know Rin, and the more comfortable she became around him… the more he was going to like her.

_Like her? _ A voice in his head whispered… _No… You're going to _love _her_.

Still smirking, Sesshoumaru walked into his walk-in closet and began sifting through his suits and ties… If _she _was dressing up, it would only be proper to dress up as well. He punched the button on the com system that came with living in a high end penthouse condo and called the Concierge desk, "Yes, Taisho-sama? How may I help you?" A woman's voice answered immediately.

"Get me a table for two at that Sashimi place I like in Ginza and pull the Porche around for me, will you Ai?" He responded.

"Of course, Taishou-sama."

"Thanks." He hung up the comm, and called to Rin once more, "How long until you're ready?"

"I have to do my hair!" She called back.

"You're _eight_. Put it in pigtails and let's go!" He slipped on his black dress shoes, to compliment his charcoal gray Armani suit, black collared shirt, and the contrasting white tie with red sakura patterned over it, "Ikuzo, Rin!"

"Rin walked back into his room just as he was buttoning the final button to his sport coat, and stopped to look at Rin.

She was wearing a red A-line knee-length dress with spaghetti straps , complimented by a white long-sleeved shirt underneath, and a green sash tied in a butterfly behind her back, and black mary-jane shoes. She was definitely very… Cute.

She'd managed to plump her hair up, and had pulled a section of her hair so it swept up the side, while her bangs framed her forehead. "How do I look?" She asked teasingly.

"Like an eight year old." He deadpanned, and she scowled.

"For the record, I only wear _one _pigtail." Rin snarked and turned to walk out of the room and make her way to his front door.

Without warning, she felt herself scooped up from behind and suddenly spun around to face Sesshoumaru. "What?"

"This." With that, he quickly knelt and planted a peck of a kiss on her cheek, which instantly grew rose-red.

"Wh… What was that for?" Rin dazedly asked.

He brushed a palm over the top of her head, "I don't know…" He sounded as confused as she felt, but he had a sort of far-away look in his eyes that spoke of contentment.

He didn't know _why _he'd kissed her on the cheek… Only that he'd _wanted _to, and doing it felt so natural, he hadn't even thought about it.

Rin took advantage of the fact he was on bended knee before her, and wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. "Don't worry, Maru. You'll figure it out."


	10. Dinner Out

Basically the entire point to this chapter is to start to show more of the characters and how they are involved. Kagura's father being Naraku is the big thing to notice here. And more Rin putting an uneasy Sesshoumaru in his place… AGAIN.

Sesshoumaru pulled into valet and soon he and Rin were ushered inside the sashimi restaurant, to a back room with long low tables in the traditional arrangement.

Sake was brought in by waitresses and sweet sake for Rin. The young women pouring drinks kept to background, not saying a word… Unusual. Most of the time they flirted with him.

While he'd expected some strange looks regarding his bringing an eight year old girl out to dinner at almost seven o'clock at night, no one even met his eyes, tonight.

"Is something wrong, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin asked quietly.

"It's nothing." He replied, trying to shake the strange feeling of being watched.

Rin sat down in seiza while Sesshoumaru sat crosslegged and a multitude of dishes were brought out, all raw fish and rice and various sauces.

The two ate companionablely, Rin's skill with her chopsticks and decorum far outclassing most children, which earned quite a few whispers Sesshoumaru's ears could now detect.

"Is it true?"

"I don't know? I've never seen her before."

"But then, who is she if its not true?"

"I highly doubt it. No one is so traditional anymore, and why should the Taishou family engage in such… antiquated behavior."

"Money is supposed to buy freedom, and yet here they are… She's just so young."

"Kagura-sama said…"

Rin, feeling uneasy got up asking to use the restroom and was ushered off while Sesshoumaru sat contemplating a beer after so much sake, when his stomach was already acting somewhat unrealiable.

"Taishou-sama…" a waitress, one he actually didn't mind so much approached him, looking around wearily, "Is it true?"

He cocked his brow and tilted his chin, "Is what true?"

"Is it true… That little girl… Your family has decided to force a marriage to her when she comes of age?"

He could have choked on his food. "Who said that?"

The waitress lowered her voice even more, "Kagura-sama's father, Naraku-sama was in here yesterday talking while he was drunk… He had wanted for you and Kagura-sama to be matched, but then… Kagura-sama told him about… that girl."

"Rin." He almost snapped, feeling defensive… Of her, of himself, he wasn't sure.

"Yes, about Rin… sama…" She hesitated with the honorific, not sure what to call the child, "and how she's supposedly living with you."

"She is living with me, however _no one_ tells me who to marry. There is nothing like that going on with my family."

The young woman's smile faultered just a bit, but she nodded, cleared his dishes and left, "Have a good evening, Taishou-sama."

Rin returned from the bathroom and sat next to Sesshoumaru formally, noting his troubled expression. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head without answering… That these _people_… they would see him next to Rin and assume that… Suddenly, he recalled the incident on the couch and how disturbed he'd felt… Or rather, how disturbed he'd felt at his own _lack _of feeling any disgust.

Reincarnation or not, (and, thinking about it now, that seemed utterly ridiculous to him anyway… after all, she sounded like some kind of delusional otaku or something), she was still an eight year old child.

That's all he could see when he looked at her, and yet…

His step-mother (that crazy old bat) had insisted they could not be seperated.

"I'm going to adopt you as my _daughter_." He said out of nowhere, and Rin looked up, absolutely horrified at the idea.

"But… That's…" Rin felt herself go a bit green in the gills at the notion. He wasn't her father, he was her _mate_ and for her to have to try and see him in any role but that one… it was rather _disgusting _to her.

"We will not discuss this further here."

"Oh, we _are _discussing this, Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Otou-sama." He corrected.

Rin could feel steam coming from her ears at that little quip. She was _not _calling him that. She'd had plenty of fathers (nine, to be exact) and _he _was most certainly not one of them.

"You know what? This is stupid. You aren't even old enough to be my father! You're twenty-three!"

He glared at her, then moved very close to her face, "But you're too young to be my _wife _and I won't have the rumors."

Rin glared right back, "I'm older and wiser than you are, apparently. Don't you understand? Trying to see me as your daughter for now will only make you even more of a _hentai _when the time comes that we…"

"Shut up." He glanced around making sure that no one was evesdropping.

Rin shook her head, "I never knew you to care so much what other people thought… How weak."

He wanted to strangle her, at that moment… But he didn't. He couldn't.

The fact of the matter was, she was right.

"The old you would dispise this 'you'… Selfish, philandering, and a lazy lay-about, without a single goal to work toward, just coasting through life on the merits of your family's money and prestige."

"Was I not the son of a great dog demon before, born into royalty?" He rolled his eyes a bit.

"Yeah, and you gave it all up to go wandering around in search of your own path… As soon as you stopped looking for your daddy's swords, and the power you thought they would represent, you got your own sword, your own power, and you never lived your life in his shadow again."

"I did too." Sesshoumaru argued, and even though he didn't know much about what he was talking about, those words came so fast he didn't have to think, and they felt true.

"Oh? In what way?"

"I had a weakness for human women." He looked away, his head aching again.

At that, Rin smiled. "No. You didn't have a 'weakness for human women'. You had a weakness for _me._"

He almost growled, "What makes you so great?"

Rin flashed a smile and a wink, "Wait a few years… You'll find out."

Sesshoumaru pinched the bridge of his nose, "I can't deal with this right now… Waitress! We're ready to leave!"

Rin giggled, covering her hand with her mouth and wishing she could capture the look on his face right about now. Sesshoumaru had never before shown embarrassment of any kind, and yet here was this dark haired (mostly), dark-eye'd (mostly), yet beautiful man that looked more and more like her Lord… Blushing like a schoolgirl.

Life might be complicated, but complicated was good… How else did one relieve the boredom after five centuries?


	11. Something To Protect

Don't own it. I do own Shinnoumaru, who makes his first appearance in this story next chapter.

Review if you like it, Review if you hate it, Review if you feel like and if you don't, that's okay too. ;)

They rode in his sports car home, though with all the pedestrian traffic so typical of Tokyo Rin wondered why he even bothered owning such a fast car. He never managed to go faster than 30k an hour.

"So," He broke the silence and Rin was genuinely surprised; her Sesshoumaru was rarely one to do so, but this was not the same man she had known. She had to accept that, Rin thought bitterly.

"Yeah?" She responded, tilting her face to watch him driving, studying the tiny concentration lines in his forehead and the way the city lights highlighted only the outline of his profile, leaving his face hidden in shadow.

"Shouldn't you be in school?"

Rin tried not to giggle… School could be rather hard, given her extensive knowledge and experience, however… "Probably… I mean, Japan has changed a lot since the 1940's. Even the language is so very… different." Rin admitted her failing in understanding post jo-yo kanji simplification and katakana.

World War II had transformed the Japanese way of life, their language, their culture, and the politics of their now militarily weak nation. For more than 2,000 years the sole occupation of all of Japan had been warfare. The culture was both beautiful and brutal, and above all, it was well defined and rigid… Now, they made electronics, and exported more cartoons than katana, and women worked, and men were soft, and all of it had changed.

Going to temple happened only one day a year for most families, and very few had Buddhist shrines in their homes. Religion and warfare and culture and language… Japan was a new nation, unfamiliar to Rin now that she had her memories back. She had only the experience of an eight year girl to go on in _these _times.

"Perhaps it wouldn't be awful. I love children, afterall… I did mother twenty of them."

"I thought you said 'twenty-three' before?"

"Three were…" Rin trailed off.

Yes, the past had been a different era, with a very different Sesshoumaru…

*Flashback*

"What's… wrong?" Rin panted and gasped, looking up to see the distraught faces of her birthing attendents.

"Wait here, Rin-sama."

The child was carried away, and distant calls of "My Lord!" were heard echoing through the empty halls of the castle.

When the child, if it could be called that, deformed as it was, was presented to Sesshoumaru, it was barely alive. The humanoid face was distorted, half muzzle, half jawline, and the front legs were that of a dog, with wet thin white furry patches randomly placed along the upper body, while the lower was almost human, though its knees were… backward… as a dogs legs would have been.

This child would not be able to feed, never be able to walk.

It was clearly suffering.

It was truly… an abomination.

Sesshoumaru knew what he had to do, and he only prayed that the Gods and his mate could someday forgive him.

He drew his sword, ready to put the… thing… out of its misery.

*End Flashback*

"Were what?" His eyes narrowed.

Rin took a deep breath, her chest clenching, as she forced old hurts not to give way to renewed anger, "You… were… forced… to put an end to their suffering. They were born… _not right_."

Sesshoumaru's jaw clenched. He did not know what to do with such information. While he was never overly fond of children, he most certainly had not ever considered himself to be the type of man capable of infanticide.

He was silent the rest of the car ride home, and still more reclusive when they made their way up to his apartment.

Both went to bed feeling uneasy, and neither slept well.

At around six in the morning, with the skyline still dark Sesshoumaru slipped from bed and put on his bushido training uniform before making his way to the roof of the building. He desperately needed to work off some of his stress.

Rin listened silently to the movement in the bedroom, and crept from beneath her covers when she heard the front door open and close softly. Curious as always, she followed him with the stealth of a ninja and stood in the shadows watching him proform his kata.

Truly, watching him wave that wooden practice sword around almost made her laugh. He looked ridiculous to her… Sesshoumaru-sama was a master swordsman, at least… He _had _been. Now, although he was very good by human standards, to watch him made her want to giggle.

Suddenly, when he proformed an awkward looking jab, Rin couldn't contain herself and laughed out loud.

Immediately, he turned to face her, "What's so funny?"

"You know… You're not very good at that." Rin answered.

"You think you can do better, little girl?"

"I know I can… You trained me."

"Yeah, sure… I am a world class swordsman, and I've won several national competions in bushido."

"You're slow. You're awkward, and heavy on your feet… It looks like you're wearing bricks for shoes. You're too aggressive and you don't seem to understand the very concept of balance."

"I got my _name _for my skill with a sword."

"Oh?"

"Perfect Killer, Completely Barbaric… You didn't think that was a _real _name did you?"

"It was in your past life.. But then, you were a demon then."

Wiping the sweat from his brow, and sashaying over in his black hakama he picked up a wooden sword and tossed it to Rin, who caught it easily. "Let's see what you've got kid."

Rin took a stance across from him, weighing her advantages and disadvantages. He was taller, his reach was longer, and he was clearly stronger… But she was smaller, which made for a smaller target, and she was light, and quick on her feet. All she had to do was block and avoid him until he wore himself out and then, get him down on one knee…

"Come on then." Rin stood still and let him rush her, watching how heavily his steps landed and spinning to the side, hitting his sword away at the same time. For several more minutes she evaded and blocked, until she saw him panting… This was her move.

She let him come at her full force and merely blocked him, with their swords crossed… He made the mistake of leaning too far forward, and his balance was off, now. Rin jumped back, he fell forward, and quick as she could pivoted around his side, coming to stand behind him and jabbing the back of his neck with the point of her wooden sword.

"You are dead." She declared.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened… How…? How had _he _been beaten by a _child_? Suddenly full of rage, he turned around and shoved her to the ground, wrapping his hand around her neck.

Something inside him… _roared_… and his vision swam into a sea of red. Without warning, he could smell blood, and was surprised to look down and see only a few drops had spilled from the skin of her neck where his… _claws (?) _were digging in slightly.

Rin let out a high-pitched whine and tilted her neck back, and very quickly, he released her.

Standing up, Rin dusted herself off, keeping her head down. "You're eyes are still glowing red." She informed him, and he shook his head, trying to calm down. "How did you defeat me?"

"You know why you're slow, and awkward, and lack stradegy beyond simple agression?"

His eyebrows furrowed and he turned to look at her, "Why?"

"You don't have a sense of purpose. You don't battle with serious intent. You've never been in a fight for your very and life and, more than anything… It is clear, you've never used a sword to defend something you wanted to protect."

"I… have nothing worth protecting."

"So you think now, my Lord."

"Stop calling me that. I'm not a 'Lord'."

Rin walked over to him and grasped his hand, nuzzling into his palm. "I know not what you are, anymore… But all I do know is that… You are _mine_."


End file.
